Heading
Exes, subs. (common).—1. An abbreviation of 'expenses.'
1871. Fun, 4 Nov. 'The Policeman's Complaint.' Nay oft I'm told I've been deceived, And of my x's I'm bereaved; So on the whole I muchly grieved By information I received.
1883. Referee, 18 March, p. 3, col. 3. The piece was ready, but the 'pieces' were not, and without the exes Morton would not allow the gas to be lighted or the curtain to go up. It was a case of no pay no play.
1890. Montagu Williams, Leaves of a Life, I., p. 153. He was out for a spree at the races, and I suppose he thought he'd like to pay his exes.
2. (colloquial).—An abbreviation of 'ex-officials,' 'ex-ministers,' and so forth. As in Tom Moore's 'We x's have proved ourselves not to be wise.'
Exis-evif-gen, (back slang).—Six
times five shillings, i.e., 30s. All
monies may be reckoned in this
manner, either with yanneps or
gens. Exis-evif-yanneps,
literally, 'sixpence and fivepence
= elevenpence.' Exis gen = six
shillings. Exis sith-noms = six
months. Exis yanneps = Sixpence.
Expecting, ppl. (colloquial).—With
child.
Experience Does it, phr. (common).—A
dog-English rendering
of Experienta docet.
Explaterate, verb (American).—To
hold forth; explain in detail.
[From O. E. Explate = to unfold.]
Explosion, subs. (common).—A
delivery.
Exquisite, subs. (common).—A
fop. For synonyms, see Dandy.
Extensive, adv. (common).—Formerly
applied to a person's
appearance or talk; 'rather extensive
that!' intimating that
the person alluded to is showing
off, or 'cutting it fat.'
Extinguisher, subs. (common).—A
dog's muzzle.
1890. Standard, 12 May, p. 5, col. 4. I had to appear before Mr. Curtis-Bennett, at West Kensington, to answer the charge of the dog being at large without his extinguisher en évidence.
Ex Trumps, adv. phr. (Winchester
College).—Extempore. To go
up to books ex trumps = to go
to class without preparing one's
lesson.
Eye.—See All My Eye.
To pull wool over the eyes.—See Pull Wool.
To keep the eyes clean, skinned, or peeled, verb. phr. (American).—To be watchful; alert; with all one's wits about one.
1837. C. Gilman, Negro Domestic's Recollections. Mans Ben ax 'em for sing one hymn for 'em, cause he eye clean.
1865. New York Herald. My son, afore you leave yer home, I want ter say ter you, Thar's lots of pitfalls in the world ter let young roosters through; So keep a padlock on yer mouth and skin yer weather eye, But never advertise yerself as being monstrous fly.
To have a drop in the eye, verb. phr. (common).—To be drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.
1738. Swift, Pol. Convers., Dial. 1. You must own you had a drop in your eye; when I left you, you were half seas over.
1837. Barham, I. L. (Black Mousquetaire). In vain did he try With strong waters to ply His friend, on the ground
